Patch up to bring powerful media support for DMK

CHENNAI: The sudden and surprising patch up between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi his estranged grand nephews, Maran brothers, will bring back the DMK the support of 'powerful' Sun TV -- owned by Marans.
 
Sun TV network, which played a crucial role in the party winning the hustings in 1996 and 2006, is expected to play its prominent role as a major propaganda media for the DMK in the next Lok Sabha polls.
 
The 'behind the scene' activities by Karunanidhi's daughter Selvi and grand daughter Kayalvizhi had yielded results, sources close to the family said.
 
Both were attending to Dayalu Ammal, Karunanidhi's wife, who had been hospitalised for a viral fever attack.
 
When both were putting forth their view points of the family dispute, Dayalu Ammal reportedly told them "enough, do not talk about it in my presence in future."
 
Taking a cue from her remarks, Kayalvizhi prevailed upon on her father M K Azagiri, the elder son of Karunanidhi, who was dead against any patch up efforts. Selvi, the wife of Selvam, brother of late Union Minister Maran's father, prevailed upon the Maran brothers for a patch up.
 
In fact the 'deal' was clinched at a separate meeting between the Maran brothers and Azhagiri and Stalin on Sunday night, the sources said, adding that it was formulated in front of Karunanidhi on .
 
The entire family was with Karunanidhi, when the deal was formulated, sources said, but declined to reveal the details of it.
 
Dayanidhi Maran was reportedly assured the party ticket for the Central Chennai Lok Sabha seat, while the support of the big media group was assured by Maran brothers for the DMK in the next year's polls as part of the deal.

Only about ten days ago, Karunanidhi ruled out any rapprochement with his estranged grand nephews Maran brothers, charging them with not only attempts to create a division among his family members, but also coming out with news against party men like Union Minister A Raja, Power Minister Arcot N Veeraswamy and some others.
 
In an article in the DMK's official organ Murasoli on Tuesday, he said "I can tolerate any disputes they wanted to bring in my family, but how can I do so when they continuously indulge in blaming my government and my party".
 
The dispute between both the families began when the shares held by family members of Karunanidhi in Sun TV network were off loaded for a sum of Rs 100 crore.
 
The last straw on the camel's back was the condition of office premises, vacated by Sun TV, which was located in the DMK headquarters building. The toilets were in a very bad condition with broken closets, "I literally wept over this," he had said.
 
However, Kalanidhi wrote a lengthy letter to his 'grand father' denying all the charges.
 
The DMK would have two weapons of propaganda, Sun group and Kalaignar TV. While Sun enjoyed number one position in the TRP ratings, Kalaignar occupied the distant second place.
 
The video footage shown by the Sun TV on the 'extravagance' in the marriage of Jayalalithaa's now estranged foster son V N Sudakaran, which depicted Jayalalithaa and her friend Sasikala as a walking jewellery mart and telecast of super star Rajnikanth's statement asking his fans to defeat the AIADMK during the 1996 assembly polls had turned the tables in favour of the DMK.
 
In 2004 and 2006 polls, the group played its part by showing the deaths of the members of the families, who were dismissed by the AIADMK government for participating in a strike in 2002, and the famous bus burning incident at Dharmapuri, in which three girl students were charred to death.
 
With Maran group's support, the DMK might be able to counter the anti-incumbency factor during the next year's polls, political observers said.